Yustina Salnikova is an artist with a vision to bring environmental awareness and social change through sculpture, painting, dance, installation art, and the transformation of public spaces. Her work explores themes of reanimating the "inanimate" and reimagining “waste” by finding ways to love and be present with the things, habits, places, and people society has historically cast away.

She draws on her understanding of the relationship between social, environmental, and urban structures from her studies in environmental science & policy, and sustainable design at UC Berkeley to guide her art. She believes art can not only be a vehicle for education and storytelling but can also be used to provide urban and municipal functions through biomimicry. Ultimately, her work aims to transform her personal relationship with the variety of crises of our time into a prayer for a more connected and equitable world where no one and nothing is “discarded.”

The piece pictured in the background here is titled Inquire Within. Made of reclaimed steel, HDPE plastic, and willow, it symbolizes thoughtless consumption. Learn more about this and other creations by visiting Yustina's website.